Anyone Remember Jimmy Nicol?

HipshotPercussion

Senior Member
He had the experience every drummer of a certain age I know wishes they'd had: "Replacing" Ringo on a tour.

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Ruined his life, of course. But what a glorious destruction!

Just ran across his fascinating story:
http://www.neatorama.com/2012/10/18/Jimmy-Nicol-the-Beatles-Drummer-for-Ten-Days/
 
I forget how many shows he did with them while Ringo has tonsillitus (?), and I cannot read the article. But how did this ruin his life? I would have thought the opposite. He just failed to make the most of his opportunity or had bad luck. Gig with the Beatles can't have any downside..
 
I forget how many shows he did with them while Ringo has tonsillitus (?), and I cannot read the article. But how did this ruin his life? I would have thought the opposite. He just failed to make the most of his opportunity or had bad luck. Gig with the Beatles can't have any downside..

The article doesn't go into that in any detail other than a quote from Nicol: ""Standing in for Ringo was the worst thing that ever happened to me," he recalled bitterly, "Until then I was happy earning 30 or 40 a week." It also goes on to say "At last report, Jimmy Nicol was living life as a recluse in London."

To me, this is a classic example of "How're you gonna keep 'em down on the farm after they've seen Paree" syndrome. Like you, Larry, I'm of the "Gig with the Beatles can't have any downside" persuasion. But after being in showbiz for 40+ years I have to admit that I've known far too many people who did, indeed "fail to make the most of" their opportunities, and the majority of them have regarded the opportunity itself as ruining their lives.

Of course, I also know a hell of a lot of people who made it big who are just as bitter because they think that stardom ruined theirs.

It's all a matter of perspective. But then what isn't?
 
I can almost see his perspective.I'm sure somewhere along the line,he must have been saying to himself"Hey,I'm better than Ringo...and Bernard Purdie.I can do this gig.I could really get used to this."How could anything top those 10 days as a Beatle?

As far as writing a book...I have to believe that there must have been a double secret non disclosure agreement.Brian Epstein was a pretty schrewd manager,and guarded the Beatles secrets pretty well.The guy was paid way above scale for a reason I think.So maybe that's why there was never a book.

He went bankrupt for petes sake(pun intended).At that point I think most of us would have written a book,instead of a life of poverty.It just dosen't make sense.Is there anybody who HASN'T written a book about the Beatles?:)

Steve B
 
He went bankrupt for petes sake(pun intended).At that point I think most of us would have written a book,instead of a life of poverty.It just dosen't make sense.Is there anybody who HASN'T written a book about the Beatles?:)

Steve B

Actually I have read hundreds and my favorite are still books that are transcripts of Lennon interviews. He did Playboy interviews in 1970 and 1980. The 1980s is particularly fascinating, to hear his views on being a father and Ronald Reagan which he pronounced "Ree-gan". BTW, he would have turned 72 last week. :(
 
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